1. Long Distance Trade: The Silk, Sand, and Sea Roads

2. Contributions of Classical Empires
Classical empires such as the Han, Kushan, Parthian, and Roman brought order and stability to large territories
They undertook massive construction projects to improve transportation infrastructure
The expanding size of the empires brought them within close proximity to or even bordering on each other
Only small buffer states separated the Roman and Parthian empires

3. Silk Roads
As classical empires reduced the costs of long-distance trade, merchants began establishing an extensive network of trade routes that linked much of Eurasia and northern Africa
Collectively, these routes are known as the “Silk Roads” because high- quality silk from China was one of the principal commodities exchanged over the roads

5. Route of the Overland Silk Road
Linked China and the Roman Empire
The two extreme ends of Eurasia
Started in the Han capital of Chang’an and went west to the Taklamakan Desert
There the road split into two main branches that skirted the desert to the north and south

6. Taklamakan Desert: “The Desert of Death”
The Silk Roads avoided the Taklamakan Desert and passed through the oasis towns on its outskirts

7. Route of the Overland Silk Road
The branches reunited at Kashgar (now Kashi in the western corner of China) and continued west to Bactria
There one branch forked off to Taxila and northern India while the main branch continued across northern Iran
There is still a bustling Sunday market at Kashgar

8. Route of the Overland Silk Road
In northern Iran, the route joined with roads to ports on the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf and proceeded to Palmyra (modern Syria)
There it met roads coming from Arabia and ports on the Red Sea

9. Silk Road
It continued west and terminated at the Mediterranean ports of Antioch (in modern Turkey) and Tyre (in modern Lebanon)

10. Sea Lanes
The Silk Roads also provided access at ports like Guangzhou in southern China that led to maritime routes to India and Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka)

11. Trading
Country
Goods Exported; Tools and resources that benefited empire.
Goods Imported
Countries Traded With

12. Silk Road….Zhang Jian
128 BCE a Chinese general named Zhang Jian made his first exploratory journey across the deserts and mountains of Inner Asia on behalf of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
He found horse breeders whose animals far outclassed any horses he had seen.
Originator of overland trade with the western lands and credited Jian for introducing plants and herbs to China.

13. Organization of Long-distance Trade
Individual merchants usually did not travel from one end of Eurasia to the other
Instead they handled long-distance trade in stages
Chinese, Parthians, Persians, Indians, Romans, and others would dominate the caravan or maritime trade routes within their empire or territory of influence
GEOGRAPHY determined what was exchanged, where it was exchanged, and by whom it was exchanged

14. Silk Road Trade to the West
Silk and spices traveled west from southeast Asia, China, and India
China was the only country in classical times where cultivators and weavers had developed techniques for producing high-quality silk fabrics
Spices served not just to season food but also as drugs, anesthetics, aphrodisiacs, perfumes, aromatics, and magical potions
Chinese silk making

15. Silk Road Trade to the East
Central Asia produced large, strong horses and jade that was highly prized by Chinese stone carvers
The Roman empire traded glassware, jewelry, works of art, decorative items, perfumes, bronze goods, wool and linen textiles, pottery, iron tools, olive oil, wine, and gold and silver bullion
Mediterranean merchants and manufacturers often imported raw materials such as uncut gemstones which they exported as finished products in the form of expensive jewelry and decorative items

16. Products that Contributed to Silk Road Commerce
China: silk bamboo, mirrors, gunpowder, paper, rhubarb, ginger, lacquerware, chrysanthemums
Siberia and Central Asia: furs, amber, livestock, horses, falcons, hides, copper vessels, tents, saddles, slaves
India: cotton textiles, herbal medicine, precious stones, spices
Middle East: dates, nuts, almonds, dried fruit, dyes, lapis lazuli (ore to make blue dye), swords
Mediterranean: gold coins, glassware, glazes, grapevines, jewelry, artworks, perfume, wool and linen textiles, olive oil

17. Smart Start
What was the name of the Chinese explorer who was the first to trade goods with Central Asia and Europe?
What did China have that they traded with other empires?
What did China want?
What are two empires found in Persia?

18. Mediterranean Trade

19. Discover of the monsoon winds….
Hippalus (Greek sailor pilot) “Discoverer”
Resembles story of the Chinese General Zhang Jian who opened trade with central Asia

20. The Mediterranean Phoenicians
Major maritime trade state from 1550 to 300 BCE
Established trade colonies throughout Mediterranean and Black seas
First to use polar star for navigation
Acted as “trucking company” for major states
Phoenicians trading with Egyptians
Greek bireme circa 500BC

21. Carthage Carthage Established as a colony by Phoenicians
Maritime trade power – dominated the western Mediterranean
Economic policies focused on protection of sea lanes and securing natural resources
Some evidence of trade w/sub- Saharan Africa and British Isles
City of Carthage

22. Greek City-States Greek City-States Colonies established to Sparta
Act as bases for trade
Relieve population pressures
Provide food for mother city-state
Sparta
To emphasize equality – Spartans banned precious metals and coins
Spartans forbidden to engage in commerce
Spartan hoplites

23. Athenian Trade
Athens
Size of Athenian navy allowed Athens to project power to enhance commercial interests
Transformation of Delian League into trade association
Commercial estates = wine and oil exports
An Athenian Trireme

24. Alexandria Hellenistic Civilization
Greek culture widespread – based on empire of Alexander the Great
Alexandria – nexus of Mediterranean and Indian Ocean trade (via Red Sea)
Hellenic Trade Routes

25. Alexandria Planned city built by Alexander the Great
Dominated by its huge lighthouse
Significant port city
Romans took wheat back to Rome from Alexandria
Glass, papyrus, textiles, ointments, gems, and spices were also traded through this port
Also famous for its university and library—intellectual center of learning

26. Rome Rome Central location – positive impact on trade
Territorial expansion brought in revenue and surplus goods from new provinces
Roman provincial towns drew in artisans and merchants from all over
Busy Roman port

28. Roman Grain Trade

29. Roman Mediterranean Trade

33. Indian Ocean Trade Probably most important trade network
Monsoon changes were crucial:
Nov-Feb blew to SW
April-Sept blew to NE
Key was regularity
Sea transport is cheaper
So more bulk goods: textiles, pepper, timber, rice, sugar, wheat
Trade was between towns and cities, not states

34. Indian Ocean Trade “Zone of interaction” First ocean to be crossed
“Sailor's ocean”
Warm water
Fairly placid waters
Lateen Sail allowed sailors to sail across the Indian ocean, could sail into wind

35. Dhow with lateen sails
The exact origins of the dhow are lost to history. Most scholars believe that it originated in China from 600 B.C. to 600 A.D.

37. Review….

38. Silk Road Trade to the West
Silk and spices traveled west from southeast Asia, China, and India
China was the only country in classical times where cultivators and weavers had developed techniques for producing high-quality silk fabrics
Spices served not just to season food but also as drugs, anesthetics, aphrodisiacs, perfumes, aromatics, and magical potions
Chinese silk making

39. Silk Road Trade to the East
Central Asia produced large, strong horses and jade that was highly prized by Chinese stone carvers
The Roman empire traded glassware, jewelry, works of art, decorative items, perfumes, bronze goods, wool and linen textiles, pottery, iron tools, olive oil, wine, and gold and silver bullion
Mediterranean merchants and manufacturers often imported raw materials such as uncut gemstones which they exported as finished products in the form of expensive jewelry and decorative items

40. Products that Contributed to Silk Road Commerce
China: silk bamboo, mirrors, gunpowder, paper, rhubarb, ginger, lacquerware, chrysanthemums
Siberia and Central Asia: furs, amber, livestock, horses, falcons, hides, copper vessels, tents, saddles, slaves
India: cotton textiles, herbal medicine, precious stones, spices
Middle East: dates, nuts, almonds, dried fruit, dyes, lapis lazuli (ore to make blue dye), swords
Mediterranean: gold coins, glassware, glazes, grapevines, jewelry, artworks, perfume, wool and linen textiles, olive oil

41. Products that Contributed to Indian Ocean Commerce
Mediterranean—ceramics, glassware, wine, gold, olive oil
East Africa—ivory, gold, iron goods, slaves, tortoiseshells, quartz, leopard skins
Arabia—frankincense (desired far beyond Indian Ocean world), myrrh, perfumes
India—grain, ivory, precious stones, cotton textiles, spices, timber
SE Asia—tin, sandlewood, cloves, nutmeg, mace
China—silks, porcelain, tea

42. Create….. Draw a map of the world minus North and South America.
Create the Silk Road in red.
Draw a picture of Zhang Jian….explain why he is important.
Along the Silk Road, identify the main countries and cities including the goods/products traded.
Label all countries/cities/geographic features on your map.
Do the same as listed above for the Indian Ocean Trade route. Use blue to draw the route.
Draw a dhow with lateen sails. Explain why this was important and list the months of monsoon winds.
Label all cities/countries/geographic features and list goods traded.

43. The Sand Roads

44. Smart Start: Compare and Contrast Sailing in Mediterranean vs Indian Ocean

45. The Trans-Sahara Information Pages 198-201(Early stages)

46. Origins of the Trans- Saharan trade
Sporadic encounters for more than 1,000 years
Initiators of trade were Berber nomads

47. Discovery of information..but not confirmed
Images left that depict herders and pastoral societies and transition from cattle herders to horse herders
Caravan routes started as a trickle..then exploded
Theory of refugees from Mycenaean and Minoan Civs traveled deep into region
Domestication of the camel and usage for travel (Tuareg Tribe)
Possible Roman inauguration trade(No evidence)
Read page 201: Camel Saddle
Turaeg Tribe

48. Camels came to north Africa from Arabia around 7th century BC.
A caravan took 70 to 90 days to cross the Sahara, so the camel's ability to travel long distances without water made it very useful.
Camels came to north Africa from Arabia around 7th century BC.
*Dromedary is the name for one-hump camels.

49. Saharan Rock Art: Depictions of herding societies in the Sahel region
Saharan Rock Art: Depictions of herding societies in the Sahel region..What else does this mean? (Patterns of Culture)

50. Investigate Sub-Saharan Africa’s development due to trade
Geography
African Cultural Charateristics
Iron and Bantu Migration

51. Exchange across the Sahara
Commercial Beginnings in West Africa:
North had manufactured goods, salt, horses, cloth, dates
South had crops, gold, ivory, kola nuts, slaves
Introduction of camel was crucial, early in CE
Regular trans-Saharan commerce by CE
Huge caravans, up to 5000 camels
Led to a number of states in western and central Sudan: Ghana, Mali, Songhay, Kanem, and Hausaland.
Slaves came mostly from south, most sold in North Africa. (Will discuss later)
Intro to Islam

52. Trans-Saharan Trade
A series of powerful trading kingdoms emerged in West Africa. (Clip)
The West African kingdoms controlled important trade routes that connected North Africa and West Africa.
Beginning of Trans-Saharan Trade
North Africa was rich in the salt that West Africa lacked.
West Africa was rich in gold.
The Trans-Saharan trade led to an exchange of salt for gold.

53. MALI GHANA Benefited more than Ghana.
From 13-15th century, Mali controlled and taxed almost all the trade passing through the west.
Most strongest point was under the reign of Mansa Musa from
Controlled the gold and salt trade.
Provided ivory and slaves.
Adopted Islam in 985 AD.
Prosperous.
Conquered by Berbers and Tuaregs.

54. Trans-Saharan Trade Routes Mansa Musa (King of Kings-Mali..Islam)
Ibn-Battuta
Mansa Musa (King of Kings-Mali..Islam)

55. - Mansa Musa affected the Trans-Saharan trade by lowering the value of gold after he distributed his own gold randomly throughout his journey.
- Mansa Musa and Ibn-Battuta were very strong believers of the Muslim religion. They caused a huge spread of the religion across regions that were on the Trans-Saharan trade routes because of their Hajj’s
- The trans-Saharan desert was an example of cultural diffusion, not only of products but of intangible goods as well.

57. Gold Trade Major commodity- prestigous item
Standard weight system in Rome used in Africa
Arab traders are believed to have brought first scales and weights
Deposits in several different regions enriched Africa’s pre-colonial cities and kingdoms

58. Gold Trade cont’d Actual sources of gold never told
Early methods of mining- little is known
Gold mining seen as an arduous and dangerous task
Slaves often employed to work in mineshafts, accidents very common

59. The Trans- Saharan Gold Trade (7th to 14th c
The Trans- Saharan Gold Trade (7th to 14th c. CE) The shaded portion indicates the empire of Mali in the fourteenth century, and the dashed lines trace the main trans-Saharan routes of the period

60. Salt Trade Probably one of the earliest goods traded
Large deposits located in Sahara and Mali
Traded salt for slaves, gold, ivory, craft goods, pepper, cola nuts, and foodstuffs
Accumulation of goods exchanged for salt promoted social stratification

61. Ivory Trade Symbol of luxury All over ancient world
Used for- furniture, book covers, birdcages, broaches
All over ancient world
Most of supply from present-day Sudan
After Rome’s decline, China and India largest importers of African ivory
Ivory trade was slowed in order to preserve elephant population (late 19th c.)

62. West African encounter with the Arabs
Solid market for gold in Islamic society
In eastern parts, sufficient mines
In western parts, more difficult
Arabs organized trade as they consolidated control
Very little is known about the volume during first Islamic centuries
Real boom of trade began in 10th c.

63. Importance of the Bantu Migration

64. Important Goods Traded on the Sand Roads
West Africa provided ivory, kola nuts, slaves and gold
In return they received horses, cloth, dates, various manufactured goods, and salt

65. End of Trans- Saharan Trade
Collapse of Songhay empire after the Moroccan attack in 1591
Trade less profitable after
Disintegration of West African political structures
Contemporary economic decline of Northern Africa
European competition on the Guinea coast
Shift in favor of the Atlantic trade began with arrival of Portuguese ships ~1440s

66. Finalize understanding for Final Exam: MONDAY
Homework..
Read and take notes on the heading called “Spread of ideas” (last part of the chapter)
Finalize understanding for Final Exam: MONDAY

68. New Technologies Facilitated Long-Distance Exchange
Saddles and stirrups
Horses and especially camels (could go for 10 days without water)
Lateen sail and how ships

69. The Spread of Religion

70. The Buddha by Odilon Redon
Buddhism in India
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) first announced his doctrine publicly in India in 528 B.C.
By the 3rd Century B.C., Buddhism was well-established in northern India
Buddhism was especially successful in attracting merchants as converts
The Buddha by Odilon Redon

71. Spread of Buddhism
Merchants carried Buddhism along the Silk Roads where it first established a presence in the oasis towns where merchants and their caravans stopped for food, rest, lodging, and markets
Dunhuang was one such spot
In the same tradition, today there are a growing number of truck stop ministries

72. Spread of Buddhism
At Dunhuang, the Silk Road divides into two branches
By the 4th Century A.D., a sizeable Buddhist community had emerged there

73. Buddhism at Dunhuang
Between 600 and A.D., Buddhists built hundreds of cave temples around Dunhuang depicting scenes of Buddha
Assembled libraries of religious literature
Supported missionaries which spread Buddhism throughout China

74. Transformation of Buddhism
Monasteries established in the rich oasis towns became secular and wealthy
Mahayana Buddhism flourished on the silk roads
Theravada Buddhism was established in SE Asia by the missionaries sent out by Asoka
NW India, influenced by Alexander the Great, statues of the Buddha reveal Greek influences
Gods of many peoples along the Silk Roads were incorporated into Buddhist practice as bodhisattvas

75. Spread of Hinduism
Hinduism also spread along the Silk Roads, primarily along the sea lanes
Indian merchants brought Brahmin priests
This for example is how Hinduism spread from India to Malaya

76. Spread of Christianity
Antioch, the western terminus of the overland Silk Roads, was an important center in early Christianity
“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 11:
St. Peter’s cave church in Antioch

77. Spread of Christianity
Paul began his missionary journeys at Antioch

78. Spread of Christianity
Like other religions, Christianity followed the trade routes and expanded east throughout Mesopotamia, Iran, and as far away as India
However, its greatest concentration was in the Mediterranean basin, where the Roman Roads, like the Silk Roads, provided ready transportation

79. Spread of Christianity
A good example is Paul’s visit to Thessalonica (Acts 17: 1)
Thessalonica was the principle city and primary port of Macedonia (part of present day Greece)
It was located at the intersection of two major Roman roads, one leading from Italy eastward (Via Egnatia) and the other from the Danube to the Aegean

81. The Spread of Disease

82. Spread of Disease Long-distance trading led to spread of disease
Most lethal junctures: when an unfamiliar disease arrives in a new culture
Athens, BCE, infection from Egypt
The Antonine Plague ( A. D.) was a plague of either smallpox or measles brought back to the Roman Empire by troops returning from campaigns in the Near East
Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was among the victims
The disease broke out again nine years later and the Roman historian Dio Cassius reported it caused up to 2,000 deaths a day at Rome
Total deaths have been estimated at five million

83. Bubonic Plague
Between 534 and 750 CE. Intermittent outbreaks of the plague ravaged coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea
Constantinople lost 10,000/day for 40 days in 534 CE.
Between 1346 and 1350 one third to one half of Europe died from the plague
Quick clip

84. Example---the Qanat system
Spread of Crops
Rice and cotton spread from South Asia to the Middle East, which led to changes in farming and irrigation techniques
Example---the Qanat system

85. Qanat System
In the early part of the first millennium B.C., Persians started constructing elaborate tunnel systems called qanats for extracting groundwater in the dry mountain basins of present-day Iran. Qanat tunnels were hand-dug, just large enough to fit the person doing the digging. Along the length of a qanat, which can be several kilometers, vertical shafts were sunk at intervals of 20 to 30 meters to remove excavated material and to provide ventilation and access for repairs. The main qanat tunnel sloped gently down from pre-mountainous alluvial fans to an outlet at a village. From there, canals would distribute water to fields for irrigation. These amazing structures allowed Persian farmers to succeed despite long dry periods when there was no surface water to be had. Many qanats are still in use stretching from China on the east to Morocco on the west, and even to the Americas.

86. Change and Continuity Changes
Move from barter to coins as system of exchange
Greater interaction between civilizations – direct links between Rome and China
Cultural diffusion through trade – spread of religion, architecture, disease
Decline in trade in Europe after fall of Rome
Continuities
Dominance of India in trade
The importance of the Silk Road and maritime trade routes
Constantinople as western trade hub